Dr. Michael Streitmann is a physician who specializes in plastic surgery and otolaryngology (ear, nose, and throat). His areas of expertise include the following: eyelid surgery, thigh lift (thighplasty), and tummy tuck (abdominoplasty). He is professionally affiliated with Park Plaza Hospital. Before completing his residency at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and a hospital affiliated with Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), Dr. Streitmann attended medical school at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, School of Medicine. Patients gave him an average rating of 4.5 stars out of 5. Dr. Streitmann takes Blue Cross Blue Shield Bronze, Blue Cross Blue Shield Gold, United Healthcare Choice, and more.

Dr. Ernest Cronin specializes in plastic surgery and practices in Houston, TX. He has received a 3.5 out of 5 star rating by his patients. Areas of expertise for Dr. Cronin include eyelid surgery, dermabrasion, and mini tummy tuck. He accepts Blue Cross Blue Shield Bronze, Blue Cross Blue Shield HMO, Blue Cross Blue Shield Gold, and more. Dr. Cronin attended medical school at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston and the University of Texas Medical Branch School of Medicine. He completed his residency training at a hospital affiliated with the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. He is professionally affiliated with Texas Children's Hospital and St. Joseph Medical Center (Houston, TX).

Dr. Alan Rechter works as an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist in Houston, TX, Bellaire, TX, and Kingwood, TX. He has received a 3.5 out of 5 star rating by his patients. He honors several insurance carriers, including Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Aetna Medicare, and Blue Cross Blue Shield Bronze. After attending Creighton University School of Medicine, Dr. Rechter completed his residency training at a hospital affiliated with the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. He is professionally affiliated with Texas Children's Hospital, Memorial Hermann Orthopedic & Spine Hospital (MHOSH), and St. Joseph Medical Center (Houston, TX).

"Trigger finger," or stenosing tenosynovitis, is a condition where the tendons at the base of a finger become irritated and swollen. They may develop small lumps similar to scar tissue. As the swollen, bumpy tendons pass through their sheath, a tunnel of connective tissue that holds them in place, they become stuck. The finger gets frozen in a bent, curled position. If forced, the finger can be straightened. When this happens, the stuck tendons slip through all at once, often causing a popping or clicking noise. Many cases of trigger finger respond well to non-surgical treatments such as NSAIDs, splints, or injected steroids. However, in severe cases, surgery may be necessary.

During trigger finger surgery, the tendons at the base of the affected finger are identified and the sheath is opened up, allowing the tendons to move freely without getting stuck. This can be done through a tiny incision in the palm, or even without an incision at all, using the tip of a needle. Most people are able to move their fingers normally, bending and straightening their finger without catching or popping, right away after surgery. Although you may have some pain and stiffness as you heal, recovery is quick.

Our hands are not only incredibly useful and important for our daily functioning, but they are complex and delicate parts of our body. It can take a specialist to keep the hands functioning at their best. Hand surgeons are general, plastic, or orthopedic surgeons who have received additional training specifically in the care of hands, wrists and forearms.

Surgery is not the only care that a hand surgeon provides. Hand surgeons might prescribe medications, physical therapy, or splints and braces as well as surgery, depending on the condition. They care for a wide variety of issues affecting the hand or forearm, which may include:

Carpal tunnel syndrome

Arthritis

Fingers that cannot be straightened, such as with Dupuytren’s contracture

Deformities of the fingers, such as syndactyly (webbed or fused fingers) or polydactyly (extra fingers)

Wrist or hand pain

Serious injuries of the hand or wrist, including burns and sports injuries

Reattachment of severed fingers or creation of prosthetics

We use our hands to interact with the world in a number of ways. In order to do so, we need our hands to maintain a high level of both movement and sensitivity, and that requires all of its bones, muscles, and nerves to be working properly. Hand surgeons keep this delicate and important equipment functioning.